Faculty Focus: Brian Wolf, MD, MS

What is your hometown?

Rock Island, IL

How/when did you become interested in science and/or medicine?

High School

When did you join the University of Iowa faculty?

2003

How or why did you choose to join the faculty at the University of Iowa?

My wife and I have really loved Iowa City since we moved here for residency in 1997. I was also very excited to join the orthopedic sports medicine team here because it offered the opportunity to be a team physician for the Hawkeyes, since I grew up a Hawkeye sports fan.

Is there a teacher or mentor who helped shape your career?

There have been several wonderful teachers and mentors for me thus far in my career including all of my faculty here at Iowa during residency. Ned Amendola, MD, who has now moved to Duke University, was a wonderful mentor and advocate for me early in my career.

How do you see your faculty role impacting medicine and/or science?

I think it is a very influential and important job to train the next generation of surgeons and sports medicine physicians. From a research standpoint we have established several very large multicenter cohort studies on ACL injures, rotator cuff tears and shoulder instability that are helping shape modern treatment of these injuries across the field of orthopaedic sports medicine.

What is the biggest change you've experienced in your field since you were a student?

There is a great deal more involvement of many parties (parents, coaches, allied medical staff, media) in the care of the injured athlete. This has resulted in the need for additional careful, thorough, and appropriate communication with the appropriate parties during the injury and treatment process. 

What one piece of advice would you give to today's students?

Find the field that makes you excited to go to work every day.

In what ways are you engaged in professional activities outside the University (i.e. population based research, mentoring high school students, sharing your leadership/ expertise with organizations or causes, speaking engagement off campus, etc.)?

I serve as the Director of Sports Medicine for University of Iowa athletics and am the Head team physician for several Iowa teams including football. I am very active as a guest lecturer at national and international meetings regarding shoulder and knee sports medicine disorders. I have an active research program centered on multi-center cohorts studies for sports medicine  disorders. And I try to remain very active in national committees. Currently I chair the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery Fellowship Committee and serve on four committees in the AOSSM, AOA, and MAOA. 

What are some of your outside (personal) interests? 

I love both freshwater and saltwater fishing. I enjoy collecting wine and drinking good coffee. And I also really enjoy being the coach for my 7th grade daughter’s Martin Bros. AAU basketball team.

Learn more about Brian Wolf, MD, MS.